The Shield
by KrisCricket
Summary: While Adora goes after a sword, Catra is left to be her shield. And it doesn't turn out the way Catra believes it should.


A/N: As of writing this, I have only watched the first two episodes of She-Ra. I'm already in love with Catra and her dynamic with Adora! This is a brief take of Catra's POV during the episodes "The Sword," parts 1+2.

* * *

She hated being called down to Horror Hall.

It was nothing new. Catra was used to it. The robotic voice requesting Senior Cadet Catra to immediately report to Shadow Weaver's quarters was so routine at this point that even the rookies placed bets on it. Would it happen in the morning? No, no, the afternoon! Don't forget about the evenings, of course! The problem was that Catra was in no mood for it today. When she was called, and a group of recruits cheered as the winners of the bet, Catra hissed at them and laughed when one guy was scared out of his seat. That cheered her up. A little.

Catra didn't know where her own squad was, and didn't care at the moment. They would annoy her endlessly about Adora. Where was Adora? Do you think Adora's okay? Adora's been gone for a long time, should we go out and look for her? Come on, Catra, you know where Adora is right? Right?

Catra's already leisurely pace to Shadow Weaver was made slower when she leapt up into the rafters and jumped from beam to beam. Her claws dug into the metal, leaving deep grooves with every pounce. It wasn't enough to calm her down like blowing up something would, but it helped a little more. Sucked that there was no mice though.

When wake up hour came and Catra couldn't stay at the foot of Adora's bed any longer without being yelled at, she played a fabricated game of "hide and seek" to buy some extra time. Anyone who asked was met with awe that Adora was getting so much better with her stealth, aside from Catra herself anyway. But Catra eventually saw how folly that was when their squadron was called to report to their weekly education class. The instructor talked a solid five minutes about how Adora would not be in this section anymore because she was being transferred due to her promotion. Exemplary talent, he said. People pleaser, Catra thought. Adora, though, never reported to her area. And rumors starting going around that one of the skiffs had been taken out and damaged last night. And, well, who was first on the list of troublemakers according to Shadow Weaver?

Catra landed onto the marbled floor with her ears turned sideways. Might as well get this over with.

The heavy metal door opened to allow Catra inside before she could knock. Horror Hall never failed to give anyone the creeps, including Catra. Most were afraid of its inky darkness swallowing up any light aside from the dim reflective liquid inside Shadow Weaver's cauldron. Most even hated the thick air inside here, like gravity would crush a person anytime Shadow Weaver willed it. Catra hated the smell most. Growing up in the Fight Zone, Catra smelled a lot of scents both good and bad. Shadow Weaver's was the only one that reminded Catra of death. It was unpleasant, discerning, and a big, fat warning.

"Catra," called out with an icy tone of greeting.

"Yeah," Catra replied. She pressed her back against the wall and stayed as far away from the sorceress as possible. "What?"

 _I mean, you are kind of disrespectful._

Shadow Weaver, whether she had let it go this time or not, decided to stay on course. "Adora is missing." Catra allowed the silence between them to linger. Her eyes, one blue and one yellow, lazily searched the surroundings for anything of interest. Shadow Weaver's cauldron was casting an eerie green behind its owner making her appear to glow. The way the sorceress's hair waved in a nonexistent wind almost made her look like she was floating. "Tell me where she is."

"Dunno." She held her smirk for when Shadow Weaver turned away, giving Catra her back. But just when Catra thought she could sneak away, a loud click echoed before a long shadow tendril retreated from the door and back to Shadow Weaver's side. Catra knew how to pick a lock or two but there was no way around how quick Shadow Weaver's magic was for the time being. Great, now she was stuck here.

"A skiff was stolen out of its bay last night and taken for an unsanctioned ride. It was returned damaged." Shadow Weaver dipped her fingers into the cauldron and swirled its liquid methodically. "Cameras did not see who took the skiff out but audio does pick up laughter as it was speeding away." Shadow Weaver's mask tilted to get a brief glance behind her. "I know it was you, Catra."

Catra stepped forward in anger. Her teeth flashed. "That wasn't me!"

"No?" It sounded like Shadow Weaver was laughing, daring Catra to convince her that she had nothing to do with it. She didn't bother to look back. It made Catra angrier to know that she didn't consider her a big enough threat. "Then who else would have done this?"

Adora would have known how to have spun this. She was no telltale, but Adora would have told Shadow Weaver about hearing noises or something last night. Maybe footsteps in the hallway after hours. Maybe even hint that one of the more senior officer thugs was abusing his power again. Adora always watched Catra's back, and now Catra had to make sure she protected Adora's. Even if Shadow Weaver was intent on getting on her last nerve.

"Who knows? Maybe one of the rookies took it for a joy ride." Catra made a vague gesture with her hand and rolled her eyes. Adora owed her big time when she came back. "Can I go now?"

The waves of Shadow Weaver's hair became wild. "No!" The only hint of Catra's uneasy was the way her tail tucked around her ankle. After what seemed like forever, the sorceress spoke again. "Did you know that Adora was promoted to Force Captain?"

Great, this again. "Yeah, what about it?"

"She was due this morning to be debriefed about a mission to Bright Moon. This is an opportunity for her to prove exactly what she is made of while on active duty. Even you know this is something she has wanted for a long time." Catra flicked her tail in aggressive whips against the wall behind her. "And we both know who would be the only person to try to mess this up for her."

Catra's eyes narrowed at Shadow Weaver's back. There were too many times when Catra dreamt of digging her claws into the sorceress's back. But she knew this game. This was who Shadow Weaver was, a bitter and manipulating woman who lived for making people feel worse than she did. There wasn't anything to be respected about that. It didn't even matter if she was second-in-command to Lord Hordak himself.

It didn't matter that she was as close to a parent as she could get, and still cared about Adora more. She wasn't going to fall for any of it. Adora was the only person here who gave more than two thoughts about Catra and Catra wasn't giving her up for anyone. Not even Hordak.

"Where is Adora, Catra?"

Adora would do the same for her.

"Look, if you can't keep an eye on your own precious little Force Captain then why is it suddenly my fault she's gone?"

"Silence!"

Catra was getting tired of it. Ears bent back and teeth baring, she was ready to find an exit or claw out one of her own. But her objective took a backseat to the sudden pain that began to overwhelm her senses. Catra was tossed the short distance back into the wall and made to howl. Painful shocks of electricity surged at random all around her body. This wasn't the worst pain she had felt from Shadow Weaver's wrath, but it was enough to get her attention. Catra saw Shadow Weaver's palm crackling in red sparks begin to fade into nothing. The pain stopped too but Catra was not about to be caught unaware again. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried her best, "Yes, Shadow Weaver." The sorceress's smell reached Catra's nostrils again.

A warning.

"For the last time, where is Adora?" Shadow Weaver's voice held a note of finality.

* * *

" _Where are you going?" The surprise on Adora's face was both cute and infuriating. Did Adora honestly think she could sneak away somewhere without Catra noticing? And from the pressed uniform on her body, Catra knew this wasn't a midnight bathroom break. Was she going to see someone? Impossible too. Adora would have said something. Catra would have remembered._

 _Wait, what sword?_

" _Shh!" Once the robot scout came and went, and Adora's hand uncovered Catra's mouth (before it was licked just to gross her out), Adora explained what was bothering her. Or didn't explain. This was something only she could do? Are you kidding?_

" _I'm coming too."_

" _No!" No? "I don't want you getting in trouble on my behalf." You're joking, Adora. Right? You're obviously the favorite! Shadow Weaver already has it for me. You think this won't get me into trouble if you're caught?_

 _...Why don't you want me going with you?_

" _Cover for me, okay? I'll be back before anyone knows I'm gone."_

 _But I'll know you're gone._

* * *

"And for the last time, I don't know." Catra stressed. She did try to sound pleasant, if exhausted from all of this back and forth. "You think I keep her on a leash?"

"I know you're lying. You two are close. She would never depart without telling you."

That hurt the most. Catra would have Adora's back no matter what, even at the torture of Shadow Weaver. Adora promised to come back and didn't. Was she hurt? In trouble? Adora was too careful for that. Too calculating and thorough. There was no way Adora would not return without it being some type of problem she needed to handle. Adora would never lie to Catra. Never. "Then I guess she let us both down, huh?" Catra didn't try to hide the disappointment in her voice. At the very least, it would help keep Adora's cover for a while longer.

"Have it your way. I already know where she is." Wait, the cauldron? Catra stepped forward to try to get a better look into it. "We have been tracking her." The sorceress was entirely too confident to be bluffing.

"Uh, then why did you ask me?" What, your little manipulation trick didn't work? Or is is more bad news? Did the rebellion capture her?

Shadow Weaver finally turned around to let her mask met Catra's eyes again. "Because you are going to bring her back."

"Don't think so." Enough with the games! This reeked of the sorceress's own goals and Catra wasn't about to help her get another power boost from Hordak. If Adora was in trouble then Catra would get her out on her own. If her friend was in trouble, Catra would save her. The senior cadet already had an idea of how to open the door's lock in record time when she realized she had forgotten about the previous warning.

It was no pain this time, only pressure. A sparkling red force kept Catra from moving any part of her body. Every one of her muscles, from her eyelids to her toes, froze despite Catra's every attempt to move. All of her limbs felt like lead. Catra could feel Shadow Weaver slinking up behind her, anxiety and fear making her skin crawl. She couldn't even move her tail for balance. This was how Shadow Weaver demonstrated her absolute control over the Fright Zone, and Catra knew it. **You are mine** , this said, **even when you think you're not.**

 **You're mine.**

And Catra hated how confused that made her feel.

"Your insolence will not protect her." The pressure lessened when Shadow Weaver grabbed Catra's shoulders. Her chilly voice was right in Catra's ear, sending every hair on her body straight up. There was no compassion in her voice. "You will do as I ask."

"Oh yeah?" Catra was happy to still have a little edge to her voice. It sounded brave. "Or what?" Or stupid.

Shadow Weaver grabbed Catra's face with one hand and made their eyes meet. Nails dug into the cadet's face plate with one pressed against her cheek. Catra could feel the muscles in Shadow Weaver's hand tensing with power. She could squeeze harder if she wished. Her nail could draw blood and it wouldn't mean anything to the sorceress. Catra was only a means to get to Adora, right? But despite knowing that, the outline of Shadow Weaver's eyes was paralyzing.

"Or **you** will suffer the consequences in her place."

Like Catra wouldn't suffer from this anyway?

* * *

This was one of the few times where Catra was truly attentive during a debriefing. She stood in the back of a room full of soldiers with her back against the wall, eyes flicking between the officer in charge and the digital screen showing their attack plans. A senior officer had been abducted by the Rebellion. Her last known position was heading towards the rebel stronghold, Thaymor. Pretty much everyone was motivated to get her back, but someone had the audacity to ask why they were spending so many resources for just one person. When the cadet was swallowed by shadows right there in his seat, everyone sat a little straighter. It was weird to see Shadow Weaver so unhinged. Catra was sure this wasn't out of genuine concern.

Catra made a mental note to tell Adora to watch her back on the way home.

"I want a tank." She called out above the hum when the briefing was over. "You want me to help get Adora back, gimme a tank."

Shadow Weaver narrowed her eyes threateningly, then waved her hand to dismiss Catra. The cadet's grin grew with every step towards her chosen vehicle. Finally! She could blow something up for a change.

* * *

The radio inside the tank crackled to life every few seconds with locations of where Adora wasn't. Catra allowed her vehicle to slow down enough for her to pull down the scope and take a look around. Smoke billowed out around destroyed buildings. People were still running away, trying to find cover that wasn't already compromised. By now, her and Adora would be laughing about how easy this mission was. Thaymor wasn't as prepared as the Horde assumed they were. This was easy pickings. But where the heck was-?

Catra couldn't set the brakes or open the hatch quick enough. "Adora!" Standard protocol was to lock down the tank so the enemy couldn't steal it. But since when was Catra a stickler for the rules. She climbed out and pounced on Adora, taking her to the ground to get a good look at her. Adora had the same dumb face on but no obvious signs of torture. She must have been able to escape when the Horde starting attacking this place. She was okay. She was okay, she was okay, she was okay!

Catra could kiss her right now.

"They let me drive a tank! Can you believe it?" Sappiness for later; they needed to high-tail it out of here. Adora looked even dumber with her questions. Why were they here? What was Adora thinking? "Uh duh! We came to find you." Catra thought the extra tanks and robots were overkill too, but of course she'd come down here to save her best friend. "'Cover for me, Catra. No one will even know I'm gone.' Seriously! Did you just immediately get captured right after you snuck out, or...?" Catra's nose caught the scent before her eyes did. Was that a plant growing out of her ear? "What are you wearing?"

"Look, there's no time! We have to put a stop to this!"

"What?" Was that fear on Adora's face? Concern? Some of the youngest soldiers were still pretty green, sure, but they could handle it. Or not, who cared? "Why?"

"Because this is a civilian town. Look around!" Catra did, trying to see exactly what Adora was talking about. "These people aren't insurgents! They're innocent people."

Catra blew a burst of air out from between her lips. "Yeah, sure. Innocent people who kidnapped a Horde officer." Maybe the smoke was starting to mess with Adora's head. Or she really was brain damaged from last night. "Now c'mon! Let's get you back to the Fright Zone." Catra grabbed Adora's hand and tugged her along, already with a story at her lips. "Shadow Weaver is freaking out!" She laughed at the memory of the look on the sorceress's face when she let Catra have the tank. Then her tail jerked, just like it had when Catra finally got out of Horror Hall and away from Shadow Weaver. It took half an hour for the soreness in her arms and legs to fade away. Catra let her laughter die out. "It'd be funny if she weren't such a terrible person."

Suddenly Adora pulled herself out of Catra's grip. "I can't go back! Not until the Horde leaves this town alone." Adora was talking but, just like before Adora left last night, Catra couldn't understand what the heck she was saying. She wanted to help this town? She wanted Catra to help her help this town?

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying this wrong! They've been lying to us, manipulating us. Hordak, Shadow Weaver, all of them."

Adora had to be kidding. "DUH! Did ya just figure that out?!" And she was given that sad kitten look again, Catra started to get annoyed. "Manipulation is Shadow Weaver's whole thing! She's been messing with our heads since we were kids."

"How...how could you possibly be okay with that?"

Okay, enough. What could the rebels have done to Adora in one night? She couldn't have forgotten just how much they looked after one another. That was the whole point of putting up with this. All of this. Catra stepped up and grabbed Adora's shoulders. She had the intense urge to shake consciousness back into Adora but decided against it.

"Because it doesn't matter what they do." Adora needed to remember just how far they have come together. "The two of us look out for each other." Remember? Remember our dreams together? To get off this dump and get the heck away from here? "And soon? We'll be the ones calling the shots.

Catra tugged Adora's shoulders once and offered a smile. "Now, come on! Can we go home already?" Frankly, all Catra wanted to do was take a nap. And she couldn't do that comfortably without Adora's warmth.

Adora backed up and away from Catra's touch. Catra resisted the urge to reach out to her. Her fingers tingled the entire time Adora spoke again. When Adora reached out to grab Catra's hands, she felt her heart beating in her chest. We can fix this. Fix what? Since when were her and Adora broken?

Since Adora let the rebels' talk get into her damaged brain.

"Are you kidding?!" Catra shook off Adora's touch. "You've known these people for what, a-a couple hours? And now you're gonna throw everything away for...for them?" Catra was a lot of things. Maybe she wasn't as motivated as Adora, maybe was wasn't as smart or as decorated either. But Catra cared about Adora past all that, and she knew that Adora cared about her. They were inseparable. Now Adora was willing to help the enemy just because of some sob story they probably told her? "What happened to you?"

"I don't know." Adora started to turn away. "I'm sorry, Catra."

 _Me too, Adora._ The wand in Catra's belt was snatched and activated against Adora's back. _But I'm not going home without you._

 _You're not leaving me again._

Adora fell hard into the dirt. The voltage was too high! She didn't check it beforehand, damn! Aaand reflex made her zap Adora again. Double damn! "I am SO sorry! It was a reflex!"

"Why...why are you doing this?"

Anger broke the dam in her throat, held back for the entire day. "Because you left me!" And just as quick as the fire left her lips, the chill of fear craved a line down her back. "And if I don't bring you back, Shadow Weaver will have my head!" Wake up, Adora! You know exactly how Shadow Weaver disciplines. You know exactly how Shadow Weaver disciplines me. "So enough with your weird little identity crisis and let's go home already!" The wand in Catra's hand felt as heavy as her tail did back in Horror Hall. Sweat gathered on her forehead. "Or do I need to zap you again?"

 _I'm your shield, Adora. Let me protect you from this craziness._

She had her guard down for too long. Something hit Catra in the face, forcing her attention to getting clearing her vision. Catra was able to clear her blue eye to see a blurry someone kneeling next to Adora's body. Oh, no, they were not about to take her away again! Catra's advance was halted by a net ensnaring her body. She shrieked and thrashed, able to get an arm out to aim her wand at the girl touching Adora. The taser fired, and was met with air when both girls disappeared from sight. "Adora!"

No. No, no, no, no!

The net was ripped open with Catra's sharp claws. She dug them into the ground to propel herself forward, then launch at the boy to knock him off of the animal he rode. The bow he defended himself with collided with Catra's claws over and over again. The boy kicked her off, and she kicked him back, doing everything in her power to capture him and question him. Where is Adora? Is Adora okay? You know where she is, right? Right?

The boy was able to throw Catra off again, making her roll onto on her hands and knees. He runs and Catra was relieved to see her comrades noticing their fight and coming to help. Catra pointed where the boy ran and watched as he was encircled by the Horde. If Catra couldn't rescue Adora from the rebels, she was going to bring someone in her place. They would get her back. Catra was going to get her back no matter what.

The glowing girl walking in the middle of their siege was the mustard on the pie to Catra's day.

Whoever this girl was, she was the exact opposite of Shadow Weaver. Her blonde hair was brighter than the gold armor that glimmered as she walked. It waved with power just like Shadow Weaver's did. Her face was emotionless like the sorceress's mask. The red cape gave the girl the look of a mighty warrior ready to fight against all that stood in her way. She lifted a large, bluish looking sword and stabbed it into the ground without any warning. Large cracks broke and unsettled every soldier's footing. Even some tanks fell into large openings, unable to drive themselves out.

Catra watched as this girl took out Horde machinery one by one with seemingly no effort. The gun on a tank was slashed clean off. Soldiers were knocked back by the sword with easy flicks of the girl's wrist. She remembered yesterday's training evaluation, where she had broken into the training area early and took out some robots to give the squadron some help in breaking the record. Adora was promoted to Force Captain that day. They rode a borrowed skiff into the Whispering Wood. Adora mentioned some sword she found then, didn't she? It was what Adora went back for last night. Was this girl the person who captured Adora in the first place?

Was one of the princesses that the Horde taught them about?

The officer in charge yelled for everyone to retreat but Catra wasn't done yet. She walked a wide circle around the glowing princess and waited for an opening. It came when the girl fell to her knees and let her sword slip. Catra walked through smoke and steeled herself to run when that familiar dumb face looked back at her, the sword nearby. Adora called out to Catra, and Catra wondered if that sword would be used against her too.

The only response Catra could make was to back away. This was unbelievable. Adora was on their side? After one night? A Horde officer, and resident favorite, deflecting to the other side? Shadow Weaver was going to kill Catra, and Catra knew it. But the witch could wait.

Catra was still trying to figure out if she lost Adora too.


End file.
